Jenelle

Jenelle: Drums, vocals

Jenelle has played the drums since 8 years old and has played as a session player, and in popular rock, oldies and blues bands throughout the country since the age of 15.

In Cincinnati, she has played with Jay Aronolf, son of Ohio's famous Senator, Stanley Aronolf playing modern sophisticated rock, Nightshift and the first Dirty River band playing to eager fans at the local popular college clubs and on the radio with several bands.

In 1986, Jenelle played with Cincinnati Legend, Gradual Taylor, who Gradual later called the best band he had ever put together. The band consisted of Ernie Waits, and Jim Orwig, keyboards, who later joined “The Menu’s”.

Jenelle experimented with electronic percussion for the first time, using Linn Drum triggers in this band on her vintage 1967 Ludwig acoustic set.

After that band split up, Jenelle put together a “favorite oldies” band playing 50's/60’s, Doo Wop, rockabilly and surf music. That project lasted the summer.

Jenelle resurrected Dirty River again for a second version, playing the local circuit that included Mike and Jay Tucker (“J. Scar”), known from the jams and Jeff Bonta.

Then a third version, now a fourth....(always with Jeff however)

Jenelle

Da drums

Da old sets

Drums and vocals

Roland electronic V-Drums

Old "friends"

Vintage '67 Ludwig's

10-piece Tama's

Click on above pic for larger image


Newest member on the team (drums that is)

Updated: 12/27/2007

Back from New York City, Jenelle has played the drums since 8 years old and has been professionally trained and able to read music. Jenelle owns four drum sets. One, a TAMA 10-piece Imperial-Star acoustic set in Gun Metal Grey (Gibraltar double-tiered cage) with a full array of Zildjian cymbals. Another, an expanded version of the Roland V-Drums (pictured), which are of the latest technology in electronic sets featuring dual triggers for sequencers and Midi as well additional sound textures and instruments. The electronic set is played through a Roland KC-500 full-range 150-watt keyboard amp and she runs it simultaneously sometimes through the P.A.

Two other sets Jenelle is especially proud of are a 6-piece 1967 vintage Ludwig set in blue sparkle and her latest, a custom Yamaha 5-piece jazz set in natural wood finish.

Jenelle has played in musicals, as a hired session player, in school bands and in popular rock, oldies and blues bands throughout the country in Cincinnati, Ohio, Washington D.C. and the California Bay area, since the age of 15. She has played in regional circuits doing performances for rock oldies shows at fairgrounds as recently as 2000.

Through The Years:

The Insects, a very popular dance/show band of the 60’s, managed by the same team who managed the national act "Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods" secured freelance solo work for Jenelle in musicals and such. The first band managed by Jenelle, herself was Cherry Fog. This was a “hip” band in the late 60’s and performed at all of the major local spots including amusement parks, VFW halls, large bowling alleys, dance halls and clubs. Compositions were of the "underground" at the time: Vanilla Fudge, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Aorta, as well as the more mainstream Hendrix, Doors, Rolling Stones, Beau Brummels, and others. This band won all four of the “Battle Of The Bands” it had entered.

During the 70’s and 80’s, she kept playing but also became a “sound person” for other bands when her own band wasn't performing such as for Wolf Raven that included Rick Shelly, a long time personal friend, Gary Bates and Karl Gregory. Rick played briefly for "Sonny Hill and the Nightshift".

Another of Jenelle's band's in 1980, was Phoenix. This band featured Jay Aronolf, at 16, a young guitar phenom and son of Ohio's famous Senator, Stanley Aronolf who later went on to form "Rough Midget." Phoenix played The Stones (Brown Sugar), Blue Oyster Cult (Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll), Robin Trower, Aerosmith (Sweet Emotion, Runnin'), The Who (Behind Blue Eyes), Hendrix and Pretenders (Precious) among others.

Jenelle played the local popular college clubs and on the radio with Phoenix and Nightshift ('80, '81) and then the first Dirty River was born in 1982, a name she registered. Dirty River from even this first incarnation featured outstanding performers who have since gone on to make a name for themselves, some in bands, others producing and writing for such major national acts as Kathy Wade. Nightshift played The Cars, Robert Palmer and Bob Seeger, playing local bars and "Poker Runs" while Dirty River did The Police, ZZ Top, Grateful Dead, and Aretha Franklin, to name but a few at local clubs packed to the walls. The first Dirty River was blues and rock performing covers and originals.

In the late eighties and in-between two versions of Dirty River, Jenelle put together an oldies band. They played 50's Doo Wop and rockabilly, surf music and classic hits of the 60’s. Playing on a regular basis at some very hot clubs in the area including hotels and "house gigs", this band did The Diamonds, Ventures, Chantays, Righteous Brothers, Steely Dan, Pink Floyd and Dire Straights among others.

In 1986, Jenelle played with Gradual Taylor, a major star in Cincinnati. They played the "Chatterbox" every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and broke all of the attendance records, literally packing the huge club to it's capacity. It was a performance dance/show band, joking and having fun with the audience bringing the house down. Gradual writes, records and performs his own hits including his infamous “Shake Your Hiney” and “Just A Little Taste Of Your Love” among many others.

Gradual called this the best band he had ever put together. The band had great chemistry and included these players: Ernie Waits who had played with Taj Mahal on bass and vocals, Jim Orwig on keyboards, who later joined “The Menu’s” just prior to their major rise to fame and attracting a rather large following of their own and Jenelle on the drums, experimenting with electronic percussion for the first time using the Linn Drum with triggers off of her vintage Ludwig acoustic set. Gradual and the gang kept the place wild and the girls (and sometimes their tops!) on the dance floor! Sondra C (Cosale) joined later in the year.

After that, Jenelle resurrected Dirty River again, a no less talented line up than the first version which turned out to be the benchmark for blues when blues was just getting reborn big time in Cincinnati. It was during this time while hosting a blues jam at Miss Caties that Jenelle saw Sondra again and asked her to be in the band and gave her a load of blues tapes to learn appropriate for a female lead singer. Dirty River played the local circuit at many locations, such as Miss Kitty's and was the house band at Township Fields and Tavern, Burbank’s and others.

Being house band at Township allowed us to paly host to many jammers as we played and also because the place was so huge allowed us to use it for the very first blues festival Cincinnati had seen to that point in time so, Dirty River, in early 1992, put together and hosted an outdoor music festival celebrating the best blues that the city had to offer. It included some of the original blues masters local to Cincinnati as well as such local current stars as the Blues All-Stars, "Sweet" Alice Hoskins, and many more. It was a success - having beautiful weather, a great line up of fantastic blues, several families in attendance and lots of sponsors. The then-new Cincinnati Blues Society, put their first festiavl together the following year and continues to put on a yearly festival of it’s own on today. Jenelle was a part of their first event as well and today serves as CincyBlues Society (CincyBlues.org) Web Mistress and Secretary.

Dirty Rivers' final gig in 1992 was “RiverFest.” This is Cincinnati’s huge farewell to summer. RiverFest features a major annual fireworks display attracting 500,000 people from the region and is televised by one of the ”big three” affiliate stations in town. Dirty River’s performance was featured live on air.

Benefit performance August, 2005

Jammin' January, 2004 w/ Paula Wolfe (my best friend, R.I.P.)

Go to Drummer Girl page for more pictures of Jenelle and Paula